The Australian Great Barrier Reef: threats, stakeholders, government plans.

THREATS: River runoff from the land: Cane farmers in northern Queensland have had to reverse the cycle of the wetlands so that the water leaves the land quickly, in order for their cane crops to survive. The problem with the water leaving quickly, though, is that it drags the topsoil and various other harmful agricultural chemicals with it. That dirty water then filters into the river catchments that feed the Great Barrier Reef. This water …

…also believe that the protected area should be increase to more than half the reef's total surface area. - Farmers are also affected by the plan because in conjunction with the protection plan, a water quality plan was also released. This second scheme restricts the clearing of native bushland and mainland development in order to protect the reef from the problem of river runoff from the land. This restricts the farmer's useable farming land area.